Part of me wants to tell her it doesn't matter.
That whatever’s making her uneasy, we can work through it.
But that would be a lie.
In my world, truth and transparency are non-negotiable.
"We'll talk about it," I say instead."But not tonight."
She blinks, forcing a small smile."Right.Professional boundaries and all that."
"Exactly."
As I watch her join her family in the elevator, I can't ignore the doubts taking root in my mind.
Not just about whatever is troubling Karina, but about my own judgment where she's concerned.
Because for the first time in my overly planned life, I'm starting to suspect that what I want and what I need might be two very different things.
And Karina Peters—with her brilliant mind and unbidden mystery—might be both my greatest weakness.
And my undoing.
21
THE MACTAVISH THREAT
CALLUM
"We need to double-check Richard's possible involvement in the campaign before Connor's engagement party."
I deliver this statement to my office ceiling at 7:12 AM on a Tuesday, three days after the Peters family dinner and ten days before Connor's extravagant celebration.
Late July has wrapped Seattle in a blanket of unexpected heat, turning my usually crisp morning commute into a sweltering ordeal.
Even this early, the temperature has already climbed past seventy degrees, promising another record-breaking summer day.
My declaration gets no response because I'm alone, having arrived at the office before even the most ambitious early birds.
The solitude is intentional—I need time to think without distractions, particularly the distraction of a particular Marketing Director who's occupied entirely too much of my thoughts lately.
The dinner with Karina's family had been unexpectedly enjoyable, despite Fiona's transparent matchmaking attempts and pointed questions about Karina.
Or perhaps because of them.
The evening had revealed aspects of Karina I hadn't seen before.
The way she anticipated her mother's needs without being asked.Her shorthand communication with her sisters.
Her genuine interest in Charlie's anime obsession despite clearly knowing nothing about the subject.
And then there was our moment in the study...
I drag my mind back to the matter at hand.
Our investigation has yielded compelling evidence of two distinct viral campaigns—the original, relatively benign "Kilted CEO" hashtag, and the explicit "Kilted Casanova" content that followed.
Karina's sister had confirmed different digital fingerprints in each, with the explicit content showing sophisticated coding techniques tied to MacTavish systems.
